At the Cusp of an Era
Ernest Dowson is a little known poet whose obscurity has more to do with the historical context of his appearance than it does with his talent, which is considerable. He published in the 1880s and 1890s, but was largely forgotten after his death in 1900. By the time of a critical reappraisal and publication of his collected works in 1919, his poetic style had become dated. Yet now enough time has passed to distance us beyond reaction to a sense of the old-fashioned. If occasionally his poetry descends to bardic pronouncements punctuated with exclamation points, it also can rise to a high formalism. Those who approach his work will be rewarded with some real gems.
